Footprints in the Snow
by SiuanSedai
Summary: Yuna wondered if her feet left imprints, ones which would join those of the summoners who had climbed Mt Gagazet before her. Written for fanfic100.


I wrote this for fanfic100. It's inspired by the poem 'Footprints' which I guess most people know already - if not, google it, it's lovely.

**Prompt 067 Snow**

The wind was harsh, bowing frozen snow into our chilled faces relentlessly. I was frozen to the bone, although I didn't want to admit it. After we'd been walking up the path for about half an hour, Kimahri hung back until me and Rikku had caught up with him.

"Too cold for Yuna and Rikku to walk," he said and picked us both up.

"Kimahri… I want to walk," I said, and touched his cheek the way I did when I was little so he wouldn't be hurt. "This is the last journey of my pilgrimage, you know… please, let me down." Kimahri nodded and carefully set me on my feet.

I wished Lulu could cast Fire and clear a path, but Mount Gagazet is sacred. We couldn't use magic to make our passage easier because the mountain might have become angry, and then we wouldn't be able to pass at all.

Even Lulu was finding it difficult, though, because the wind was getting stronger. Auron said it might turn into a blizzard, but we kept going because there wasn't anywhere we could use for shelter if the weather got worse.

Some of the snow we were walking on had probably been there for centuries, because it was rock solid. I wondered if our feet left imprints to join those of the summoners and guardians who had walked this mountain path before us, but I couldn't tell because a foot of soft snow covered the ground.

That foot of snow got deeper and deeper until I couldn't lift my feet out of it. Everyone else was alright because they were taller than me, but the snow came up above my knees and inevitably I tripped and fell flat on my face.

For a few moments no one noticed, then Tidus turned back to say something to me and saw me holding my nose and trying to reach my staff. It had fallen out of my hand when I fell and was already coated with a layer of snow. Tidus threw a potion to me and trudged over to pick up my staff.

I thought he was going to give it back to me, but instead he hooked it through his belt. Then he came over, picked me up and carried me back to the others.

"Yuna, half of strength is admitting weakness," Lulu said before I could protest. I sighed and let Tidus carry me up the slope of the mountain.

The wind was blowing snow into my eyes and up my nose so I turned my face away and rested it against Tidus' chest. He had a very nice chest. I wanted to feel the warm skin beneath my fingertips instead of my cheek, but I couldn't. Well, I _could_, but everyone would see. And I didn't want them to. I knew that they knew about us – if there _was_ an us – and I really wished that they didn't. I trust all of them with my life, but it would be kind of nice to keep something so special a secret, you know?

Suddenly I was overcome with this urge to tell Tidus how I really felt. I wanted to just say it, not to be usual shy Yuna and skirt around it. I looked up at him and opened my mouth but then the words just wouldn't come, and I suppose I must have looked troubled because he asked me if I was alright.

I wanted to cry, then. I felt so ashamed of myself for not being able to say three simple words. I did cry, just a little bit, but I hid my face against his chest so that no one would see. I think he felt my tears but he didn't say anything, just held me closer.

We were travelling across a narrow precipice when the wind suddenly picked up. Tidus stumbled on something buried in the snow and tripped, and for a moment I thought I was going to get squashed but being a blitzball player he had fast reflexes, so he turned so that I fell on top of him with a thud that knocked all the breath out of me.

The others hadn't noticed us fall; there was so much snow being blown around by the wind that they probably couldn't see each other, either. So once I'd got my breath back I kissed Tidus quickly, because no one would see. I started to stand up but Tidus pulled me back for another kiss.

I jumped up when Rikku catcalled.

"Er, we tripped," I said, blushing.

"Sure," she said, completely disbelievingly.

"Honestly," I tried to assure her.

"Calm down, Yuna," Tidus said, and I could tell he was about_ this_ far away from giggling like Rikku was. "You want your pilgrimage to be full of laughter, right?" I nodded. "So laugh."

I knew he was right. And it _was_ kind of funny, really. So I laughed.

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was  
walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the  
sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he  
noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one  
belonging to him, and the other to the Lord. When  
the last scene of his life flashed before him, he  
looked back at the footprints in the sand. He  
noticed that many times along the path of his life  
there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed  
that it happened at the very lowest and saddest  
times in his life. This really bothered him and he  
questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, You said that  
once I decided to follow you, You'd walk with me all  
the way. But I have noticed that during the most  
troublesome times in my life, there is only one set  
of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed  
you most you would leave me." The Lord replied,  
"My son, My precious child, I love you and I would  
never leave you. During your times of trial and  
suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it  
was then that I Carried You."


End file.
